【The Largest Library in Prefecture-level Cities of China】
The new building of Dongguan Library in City Centre Square was officially open on September 28, 2005, covering an area of 27,057 square meters with a floor space of 44,654 square meters. The library is the largest one in prefecture-level cities in China with a total investment of 173 million RMB.
【The First Comic Library in China】
With a trial opening in Dongguan Library in July, 2004, the first Comic Library was open officially in September, 2005. Covering an area of 600 square meters, the Comic Library has a collection of 26,000 comic books, over 40 kinds of anime journals and more than 2,000 anime DVDs or CDs. It also offers various services, such as comic reading, cartoon appreciation and comic design. With the platform provided by the Comic Library, the Dongguan Animation Festival is held every year, organizing anime fans to hold a variety of colorful theme activities, such as original cartoon product exhibitions, cosplay shows and painting on site in order to promote a healthy and fashionable culture.
【The First Unmanned 24-hour-open Self-service Library in China】
The first unmanned 24-hour-open self-service library in China was officially open in Dongguan Library on September 28, 2005. The Self-service Library has a collection of more than 10,000 books without any library staff at work. Readers can borrow and return books via the self-service system which helps extend the opening hours to 24 hours. The Self-service Library obtained the national patent in September, 2007.
【The First Library ATM in China】
The first library ATM (self-service book station) in China was officially put into use in Dongguan Library in December 2007. Without restriction of service hours and geography，the library ATM is placed in residential neighborhoods, hospitals, squares to serve readers conveniently. It compensates for the lack of the number and service of grass-roots libraries. The library ATM, the physical library and the bookmobile service form a better service network. They are complementary with the digital library in 24-hour information service to meet people’s diverse needs for knowledge.
【The First Cantonese Opera Library in China】
The first Cantonese Opera Library in China was officially open in Dongguan Library in September, 2005. The Cantonese Opera Library which is based on local operas provides literature reading, video appreciation, exhibitions and research reference service. The library has collected more than 7,000 kinds, over 9,000 pieces of Cantonese opera literature materials.
【The First Branch of National Digital Library of China】
On September 27th 2008, Wu DaoWen, the Vice Mayor of Dongguan City, on behalf of the Municipal Government, formally signed with the National Library of China to establish Dongguan Branch of National Digital Library of China, thereafter, the first branch of National Digital Library of China officially has settled in Dongguan. Taking the advantages of the branch, Dongguan Library can provide up to 150TB self-built data resources of the National Digital Library of China and digital information service for both enterprises and citizens. It could share academic lectures as well as exhibition resources of the National Library of China. Moreover, better reference service is available by using these digital resources via remote access.
【The First Prefecture-level City Public Library that Received the Ministry of Culture Innovation Award in China】
The Innovation Award presented by the Ministry of Culture of China, which was established in 2004, is an important part of the national innovation strategy in cultural innovation system. There are no more than 15 items can gain the Award in every review meeting which is held every two years. In January, 2007, the project “Cluster Management and the Collaborative Development Mode of Regional Libraries” of Dongguan Library received the Second Ministry of Culture Innovation Award.
【The First Library in China that Was Presented “Presidential Citation for International Innovation” by American Library Association】
In June, 2008, Dongguan Library, together with the other six units and organizations, was presented “Presidential Citation for International Innovation” by the president of American Library Association at the ALA 2008 Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. Dongguan Library is the first non-American library to win this honor and it is also the first and the only Chinese library awarded by ALA.
【The First Prefecture-level City Library that Gained the Approval of the National Social Science Fund Project]】
In June, 2008, the project “Research on Collaborative Development Mode and Method of Regional Libraries” of Dongguan Library gained the approval of the 2008 National Social Science Fund Project. Dongguan Library is the fourth public library but the first prefecture-level city library to win the approval, following Shanghai Library, the Capital Library and Jilin Library. In the meanwhile, it has made Dongguan achieve a breakthrough in National Social Science Fund Project.